I have always used a 6-beat flutter kick when swimming freestyle - nothing else feels "natural."
I have noticed that when I do sets of 100s, my times are actually faster when I do then with a pull buoy than when I swim - by about 5 secs. - and I can maintain the same time for 6-8 100s.
It would appear my kick is actually slowing me down and I don't know what to do to fix it.
I was a fairly good swimming 25 years ago and coaches back then told me my technique was great. Even now the non-competitive lap swimmers who watch me swim also comment how nice and smooth and rhythmic my stroke looks and "sounds" lap after lap. (My point is I'm not "thrashing around the pool" or making beginner swimmer's errors).
Also, no one I swim with competes and I don't belong to a swim club, so no coach to consult.
Here's what I'm thinking: When I use a pull buoy, my hips are higher causing less drag. I'm thinking that I need to keep my nose pointed straight down to raise my hips.
All suggestions/advice/drills are welcome! Please help.
Parents
Former Member
Originally posted by MichiganHusker
Does anyone have input or advice on a 2-beat v. 6-beat kick? I'm thinking 2 beat for races more than 200 yds/meters and 6-beat for 200 yds/meters and less. Perhaps once my conditioning improves than my stamina will improve and I can 6-beat the whole way.
Well done Susan on your improvements - a PB, is a PB, is a PB - no matter how small (though 20secs is v.good IMO!)
Whilst this may go "against the grain" a little bit here, I typically avoid talking about 2,4, 6 beat leg kick until the kick has become efficient and drag is not caused by excessive scissor-kicking, knee-bending or stiff ankles. Hopefully you'll find my "3 tips to avoid being a drag" (at www.swimsmooth.com/freearticles.htm quite beneficial for you at this stage. Once the efficiency of teh leg kick has been mastered, I would then talk about "slow, medium or fast" kicking depending upon such factors as race distance, body type and (in particular) stroke rate. Hopefully if the efficiency of the kick has come together, simply turning the legs over faster will help produce effective propulsion in your shorter events without this propulsion being wasteful and energy sapping.
Check out these links here:
www.swimsmooth.com/freearticles.htm
Have a great weekend - I'm off to the Carribean now to get in some sun and some open water swimming! (a well needed break!)
Paul
Originally posted by MichiganHusker
Does anyone have input or advice on a 2-beat v. 6-beat kick? I'm thinking 2 beat for races more than 200 yds/meters and 6-beat for 200 yds/meters and less. Perhaps once my conditioning improves than my stamina will improve and I can 6-beat the whole way.
Well done Susan on your improvements - a PB, is a PB, is a PB - no matter how small (though 20secs is v.good IMO!)
Whilst this may go "against the grain" a little bit here, I typically avoid talking about 2,4, 6 beat leg kick until the kick has become efficient and drag is not caused by excessive scissor-kicking, knee-bending or stiff ankles. Hopefully you'll find my "3 tips to avoid being a drag" (at www.swimsmooth.com/freearticles.htm quite beneficial for you at this stage. Once the efficiency of teh leg kick has been mastered, I would then talk about "slow, medium or fast" kicking depending upon such factors as race distance, body type and (in particular) stroke rate. Hopefully if the efficiency of the kick has come together, simply turning the legs over faster will help produce effective propulsion in your shorter events without this propulsion being wasteful and energy sapping.
Check out these links here:
www.swimsmooth.com/freearticles.htm
Have a great weekend - I'm off to the Carribean now to get in some sun and some open water swimming! (a well needed break!)
Paul
